The campaign to raise funds to repair the roof of St Andrew’s church before the worst of the winter weather sets in is gaining momentum, but there is still a significant shortfall. We are very grateful for the grants we have so far received from the A.S. Charitable Trust and the Wadlow Wind Farm, and other applications for support from various funds are under consideration and in progress. We have received generous donations from a number of villagers and also from anonymous donors outside West Wratting who have seen coverage of the theft of the roof lead in the Haverhill News, on the Cambridge News website, and on ITV Anglia news. The PCC wishes to express its sincere gratitude to those who have responded to the campaign so far. We are also indebted to Diana Edwards and Phil O’Donovan who have provided such wonderful and tireless support in helping us to prepare funding applications.We have also set up a webpage through which donations can be made: https://mydonate.bt.com/events/roof/363752.Donations made through this site will also benefit from gift aid.This is also a reminder that there will be an open tea and cake event on Sunday 6 November, 4-5pm. This is a social gathering (with no service) to find out people’s ideas about how to make the church more of a hub and center for the whole community in West Wratting and to discuss plans for the future. To help with numbers for catering, please let Jeanette Job (290706) know if you plan to come, but please turn up even if you haven’t done so!Alex Walsham, churchwarden (291491; amw23@cam.ac.uk)
St Andrew’s Roof Update (5 December 2016)
We are delighted to report that, thanks to grants from Amey, Wadlow Wind Farm, the NIAS Wheatley Trust, and AS Charitable Trust, as well generous donations from people within and beyond West Wratting, we have now secured sufficient funds to proceed with the repairs to the roof, following the theft of most of its lead in April 2016. The PCC wishes to offer its gratitude to those who did so much to assist with the preparation of applications and who have offered practical and financial support to us during this process. In particular we extend our thanks to Di Edwards, Phil and Sherry O’Donovan, and Catherine Willcocks.
It is hoped that the works will begin in the New Year and further details of the timetable will be publicised once they are clear. Once this is complete, we hope to be able to raise further funds to improve disabled access and to install toilet facilities in the church, so that the building can be used for a wider variety of purposes by the whole community. We are grateful to those who came to the informal meeting on the 6 November and offered so many excellent ideas about the future of St Andrew’s.
Sebastian Bain and Alex Walsham (Churchwardens)